Help! Relocating - Hoping to get info on Lakeway/Austin Private & Public Schools (Round Rock: house)

[luvanimals]

Hi,

We will be moving to the Lakeway/Austin area (right on the border of the two cities - off 620), and are hoping to get feedback regarding the schools.

Our elementary school would be Lakeway Elementary, and we have considered Cedars & Bluebonnet Montessori schools. Are there other private schools that are close by? Realistically, I could not drive 45 minutes and get my kiddos to school on time . Any feedback on those montessoris or other schools? Is the public school the best choice??? (BTW - our children now attend a small private school.)

Any help is greatly appreciated - this move is very sudden and will be happening very quickly!

THANKS!

[rr_residents]

Welcome to the Austin area! We're currently living in Round Rock, which is about 40 minutes away from Lakeway, but we're moving there soon. The public schools in Lakeway are excellent, but there are some good private options as well. Right down the street is St.Andrews, and right off of 620 is the British International School of Texas, here's a link to their site:

Welcome to the British International School of Texas

St.Andrew's:

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We've become very familiar with the neighborhoods in Lakeway through our house hunting there, so feel free to ask questions about them or mention your budget and I can give some suggestions on places to look. Good luck!

[austinnerd]

Don't know the area but I've been around the block with the whole public vs private school thing. Bottom line is that the answer is "it depends". Whether the local public schools are what you are looking for really depends on what your expectations and on your kiddo(s). We live by a blue ribbon elementary school that many folks we've talked to absolutely love. After a couple of years we've grown to dislike it very much, we don't see it as enough of an academic challenge and we're not overly blown away by the teachers we've had. So you have two very polar views of the exact same school, exactly where you fall in really depends.

If possible I'd recommend visiting the local school and talking to as many people as you can. Ditto for any private schools. I'm not as familiar to the Lakeway area, but you're choices in private schools are going to be somewhat limited by your distance from Austin (though 45 minutes can easily get you into town at the time of morning school starts). A lot will also depend on what your budget is. One word of warning, I'm not familiar with those two Montessori schools, but Austin seems to have a lack of quality private schools (I think more a case of demand outpacing supply) which can cause long waiting lists at some of the more popular schools that are first come first serve (like many Montessori schools are, Austin Montessori being an example). Be sure to ask relatively quickly if there is a waiting list so you have a realistic idea of when you might be able to get your kiddo(s) in.

Good luck and welcome to Austin.

[carlota01]

I know a lot of families in Lakeway that take their children to St. Gabriel's Catholic School ( it is a 15-20 min drive)

[hsc2]

a friend of mine takes her child to Abercorn International which is a new private school focused on offering a global education. its in lakeway and offers 5 days a week from age 2.5. she is very happy with it. its close to lakeway, bee caves even barton creek

[G Grasshopper]

My sister raised her two sons competely in the Lakeway public school system. One did well but had a few problems, and the other did absolutely fabulously. They both are close to finishing college, both with honors. They both are very gifted, although in different ways (one academic, the other musically.) Of course, every child is different, so you will have to judge, but my (limited) experience would tell me that Lakeway schools are excellent.

[hoffdano]

Just being picky but Lakeway doesn't have a school system. Lakeway elementary is part of Lake Travis ISD.

Your kids' mileage may vary, but my children have been 100% in LTISD. Two are in college now. Every parent will have compliants at some point about their kids' schools. But over 20 years now - through growth from 2 to 5 elementaries, 1 to 2 middle schools, and an expansion of the high school, we are very satisfied with LTISD.

[hsc2]

the montessori in steiner ranch is very good but full with a waiting list. i have heard mixed reviews about the lakeway montessoris. abercorn international is fairly new but has some very good online reviews and my friend sends her child there and likes it. there is a also a church school but it has a more limited couple of day a week offering. i would say it really depends what you want for your child. if you want a really deep academic education that equips the child to stand out from the crowd my view is that the public school wont be adequate. however there are some good public schools and lakeway has some of the better ones. serene hills in particular has good feedback